Homopolar Patents (Class 310/178)
  • Patent number: 11575301
    Abstract: A dual-rotor machine comprising a dual rotor support structure rotatably connected to a frame. A stationary stator is disposed between the rotors and is fixed to the frame. An inner rotor and outer rotor, each comprising a permanent magnet Halbach array, are coaxially disposed with the stator and are rotable about the stator. In this configuration, the inner rotor channels its magnetic flux to its outside, while the outer rotor channels its magnetic flux to its inside. The magnetic flux density at the stator for the dual-rotor machine can be as high as 2 Tesla or higher for high-grade neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnet material, and the stored magnetic energy for conversion to mechanical or electrical energy available to the stator may be at least 0.5 kJ/m. The rotor Halbach arrays may comprise monolithic permanent magnets with continuously variable magnetic field direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Meinke, Shashikant Manikonda
  • Patent number: 11387692
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for an improved generator/motor and a method of generating current, the method comprising providing a circular rotation path, generating a concentrated magnetic field around a portion of the circular rotation path; rotating a coil along the circular path and through the concentrated magnetic field; generating current within the coil as a result of the rotating, and extracting the current from the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Linear Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred E. Hunstable
  • Patent number: 11283328
    Abstract: A flywheel energy storage system incorporates various embodiments in design and processing to achieve a very high ratio of energy stored per unit cost. The system uses a high-strength steel rotor rotating in a vacuum envelope. The rotor has a geometry that ensures high yield strength throughout its cross-section using various low-cost quenched and tempered alloy steels. Low-cost is also achieved by forging the rotor in a single piece with integral shafts. A high energy density is achieved with adequate safety margins through a pre-conditioning treatment. The bearing and suspension system utilizes an electromagnet that off-loads the rotor allowing for the use of low-cost, conventional rolling contact bearings over an operating lifetime of several years.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Cheruvari Karthik Hari Dharan
  • Patent number: 10992202
    Abstract: Disclosed are a slotless electric motor and a coil unit thereof. In the coil unit of the slotless electric motor, a first coil and a second coil overlap each other while a first end turn of the first coil and a first end turn of the second coil face each other and a first coil-side of the second coil is inserted between two coil-sides of the first coil, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil comprises two coil-sides parallel to each other, ends of the two coil-sides are connected through a first end turn and a second end turn having a curved shape, respectively, and the first end turn is bent to make a pre-configured angle with respect to the two coil-sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ju Lee, Sung Hong Won
  • Patent number: 10954792
    Abstract: A gas turbine rotor having a combination of proximal embedded permanent magnets in the blended turbine(s) trunnion structure to which blades are integral to and through these distal trunnion channels attach to which turbine blades are integral to as a single component is provided. Permanent magnets or warm conducting coils or cold superconducting coils can be used. The structure rotates around a superconducting power shaft core (SPSC), running axially in relation to the turbine blade permanent magnets, for example, and embedded distal trunnion rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sonic Blue Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard H. Lugg
  • Patent number: 10576867
    Abstract: A tailgate tie down system includes a first plate assembly and a second plate assembly. A strap is connected between each of the first plate assembly and the second plate assembly. In an exemplary method, the strap can be routed through at least one accessory tool before securing the first plate assembly and the second plate assembly within tailgate latch openings. Once the plate assemblies are locked within the latch openings, the accessory tool is also locked relative to the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Reiners, Jack Marchlewski, Joshua Robert Hemphill, Jeffrey Gray, Dragan B. Stojkovic
  • Patent number: 10418770
    Abstract: The present invention is an electrical slip ring device comprised of a stator, a rotor and an independent rotationally free brush ring. The brush ring may include a multitude of slipping fingers, chevrons or other current carrying structures that extend between the rotor and the stator. These current carrying structures have a directional bias or “lay”. The rotational freedom of the brush ring enables bi-directional movement of the rotor with reduced torque and wear at the sliding interfaces because sliding always occurs in the direction of the lay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P.
    Inventors: Brent J. Weyer, Jeffrey F. Kezar
  • Patent number: 10411579
    Abstract: The electric rotating machine includes a rotatable rotor including first magnetic field parts and second magnetic field parts formed in front and rear surfaces, respectively, by arranging permanent magnets in a circumferential direction; a first stator equipped with coils opposing the first magnetic field parts disposed, the coils forming first stator magnetic fields; a second stator equipped with coils opposing the second magnetic field parts disposed, the coils forming second stator magnetic fields; and a power feeder for driving the rotor to rotate by supplying power to the coils, and a power collector for extracting an induced current generated in the coils of the other stator resulting from rotation of the rotor. At least the coils disposed on the power supply side are formed by a superconducting material, a current supplied to the superconducting coils being made larger than an induced current generated in the other coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: KITADA ROTARY ENJINE LLC
    Inventor: Yasuo Kitada
  • Patent number: 10378452
    Abstract: Hybrid turbine engines and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The hybrid turbine engines include a first thrust-generating device that includes a turbine with a turbine rotary shaft and a clutch, which includes a clutch input, which is operatively coupled to the turbine rotary shaft, and a clutch output. The clutch defines an engaged state and a disengaged state. The hybrid turbine engines also include a rotary electric machine including a machine rotary shaft that is operatively coupled to the clutch output, a second thrust-generating device that is operatively coupled to the machine rotary shaft, and an electric power system. The rotary electric machine is configured to selectively receive an electric power output from the electric power system, such as to selectively produce additional thrust, and to selectively receive in an input torque from the machine rotary shaft, such as to selectively produce additional electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sergey D. Barmichev, Mark E. Howe, Stephen T. Brown
  • Patent number: 10119459
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a product comprising: an electrified turbocharger comprising: an electric motor surrounding a portion of a shaft constructed and arranged to selectively drive the shaft, wherein the electric motor further comprises a stator comprising a lamination stack; a housing surrounding the electric motor, wherein the housing includes a plurality of channels constructed and arranged to lubricate a first bearing; and wherein the lamination stack is constructed and arranged to include at least one conduit to pass oil through the electric motor to a second bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Brock Fraser
  • Patent number: 9927836
    Abstract: The present application concerns handheld electrical generators for charging mobile electronic devices. In one representative embodiment, a manually powered generator for charging a mobile device comprises a first magnet array having a plurality of magnets arrayed in an annular formation on a first surface, a second magnet array having a plurality of magnets arrayed in an annular formation on a second surface positioned opposite the first surface, and a torque input member. The generator further comprises a rotor having a serpentine trace of conductive material disposed between the first and second magnet arrays. The generator is configured to be incorporated into a handheld case or shell for containing the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Unruly, LLC
    Inventors: Jim Clark, Gary A. McRobert, Mathew Laibowitz
  • Patent number: 9762094
    Abstract: Various configurations of an electrometric turbine are discussed. In one possible arrangement the turbine is a radial drum type turbine and includes a pair of opposing magnetic assemblies with drum positioned therebetween. Each of the magnetic assemblies includes a pair of coils an outer coil and an inner coil. The coils are arranged concentrically about the axis of rotation of the drum, i.e. the coils are co-axial with the rotational axis of the drum. The drum includes at least one conductive element coupled to current transfer mechanisms which pass current across the drum. As current is passed across the conductive layer of the drum torque is generated on the drum. The torque is transferred to the output shaft which passes through the drum and magnetic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HERON ENERGY PTE LTD
    Inventors: Ante Guina, John Kells, Kurt Labes, Stuart Galt, Johannes S. De Beer, David B. T. Sercombe, Rene Fuger
  • Patent number: 9696178
    Abstract: Provided is a rotating electrical machine, including: temperature information acquisition means for acquiring information on a temperature of a brush; rotation information acquisition means for acquiring information on a rotation angle of a rotation shaft; and a wear amount calculation section for acquiring the temperature of the brush based on temperature information including output information of the temperature information acquisition means, and for calculating a total wear amount of the brush by integrating a product of a value corresponding to the temperature of the brush, the value being a wear amount function defined as a wear amount per unit sliding distance of the brush with the temperature of the brush used as a variable, and a value including an rotational speed of a rotor, with respect to time from immediately after start of use of the brush to a current time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naohide Maeda, Masahiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 9660405
    Abstract: An electrical device including an electrode arrangement having a magnet, and an electrode, an electrically conducting movable device, movable relative to the electrode arrangement and spaced apart from the electrode arrangement, whereby a gap (G) is formed therebetween, and a suspension including a liquid, a plurality of magnetic particles dispersed in the liquid and a plurality of non-magnetic electrically conducting particles dispersed in the liquid, which non-magnetic electrically conducting particles have higher electric conductivity than the magnetic particles, wherein the suspension) extends between the electrically movable device and the electrode arrangement in the gap (G), and wherein the magnet is arranged to provide a magnetic field through the suspension to thereby align the non-magnetic electrically conducting particles between the electrode arrangement and the electrically conducting movable device to obtain an electrical connection between the electrode arrangement and the electrically conducti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Hauke Carstensen, Björgvin Hjörvarsson, Max Wolff, Vassilios Kapaklis
  • Patent number: 9637008
    Abstract: A generator motor unit includes a generator motor including a rotor equipped with magnets, and magnetic bodies that protrude from a wall surface, a first stator that makes magnetic flux act on the magnets, thereby generating torque in the rotor, and a second stator that makes magnetic flux act on the magnetic bodies, thereby generating torque in the rotor; and a controller that controls energization of coils of the first stator and the second stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Sonoda, Tatsuya Shiozawa, Katsuhiro Ouchi, Takeshi Yanagisawa, Ryota Takagi, Atsushi Katayama, Hitoshi Kurosaka
  • Patent number: 9525214
    Abstract: A power conversion and distribution system. In one embodiment low voltage source components convert a high voltage AC power source to a relatively low voltage supply and provide a direct current output. First superconductor wires carry current from the low voltage source components to a load, and second superconductor wires carry current from the load to the low voltage source components. Individual ones of the first wires are grouped with individual ones of the second wires so that wires connected to carry current in opposite directions are in such sufficiently close proximity that additives of self-fields generated by individual ones of the wires during power transmission result in reduction of the magnetic fringe field generated, thereby increasing the current carrying capacity of the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Meinke, Sasha Ishmael
  • Patent number: 9371810
    Abstract: An alternator-starter assembly for an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a drive member operatively connected to the crankshaft. The alternator-starter assembly includes an electric machine, a transmission assembly, and a controller. The electric machine includes a stator and a rotor that is configured for rotation relative to the stator. The transmission assembly includes a first drive shaft operatively connected to the rotor, a second drive shaft operatively connected to the drive member, and a gear assembly operatively connected to the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft. The controller is connected to the electric machine and is configured to operate the electric machine as a generator when the gear assembly is in a first gear configuration and to operate the electric machine as a motor when the gear assembly is in a second gear configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Remy Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Alex Creviston
  • Patent number: 9300190
    Abstract: A free-surface liquid transfer apparatus for rotating machinery includes a stationary member. The stationary member includes a main surface configured to align to a rotating member, a landing surface arranged around the main surface configured to receive and slow a continuous film of working fluid transferred from the rotating member, an annular gap arranged around the landing surface, and a hollow torus cavity arranged proximate the annular gap configured to receive the slowed continuous film of working fluid transmitted through the annular gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark F. Franzen, Michael J. Andres, Kris H. Campbell
  • Patent number: 9148037
    Abstract: An electromechanical flywheel machine includes a flywheel mass and a motor-generator having a rotor rotatable about a stationery inner stator having stator windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: ROTONIX HONG KONG LIMITED
    Inventors: Claude Michael Kalev, Heath F. Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20150097459
    Abstract: A motor-generator utilizes a multi-part rotor encircling a stator, the rotor including a plurality of rotor segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: ROTONIX HONG KONG LIMITED
    Inventors: Claude Michael Kalev, Heath F. Hofmann
  • Patent number: 8972219
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of methods and systems of monitoring electrical brushes in electrical rotating machinery. One embodiment of the method comprises continuously measuring at least one parameter associated with an electrical brush; and determining, using the at least one continuously measured parameter associated with the electrical brush, maintenance for the electrical brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sascha Schieke, Aditi Yogin Koppikar, Mark Andrew Sporer, Chongchan Lee
  • Patent number: 8963510
    Abstract: A self-excited alternator for generating electrical energy. The alternator includes a stator, a rotor, and an exciter. The rotor includes conductors which are integrated within the rotor via one of a casting process, a welding process, or a fastening process. The exciter includes a magnet producing a static magnetic field, and a rotatable conductive member coupled to the shaft and electrically coupled to the one or more conductors. The rotatable conductive member is operable to output the direct current to the one or more conductors upon rotation within the static magnetic field, thus exciting the alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Adam Larson
  • Publication number: 20140252900
    Abstract: An improved air core homopolar generator is provided. The improved homopolar generator employs a stator having an outer ring for bifurcating magnetic flux flow and multiple flux focusing magnets arranged around a common axis. The improved homopolar generator also includes an inner flux transmitter coaxial with the common axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Robert T. Mandes
  • Publication number: 20140084716
    Abstract: Homopolar electric machine, characterized in that its structure is double, its rotor and its stator being simultaneously homopolar, and in that it includes a stack of pairs of simple homopolar stators, forming monophasing elementary machines, or in a reverse version, the elementary machines being powered with AC current; the rotor is common to all these stators, and is passive, that is to say composed completely or partially of ferromagnetic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SINTERTECH
    Inventor: Francois Bernot
  • Patent number: 8624460
    Abstract: MP-T II Machines are alternating current, two, three, or four or more phase machines of the multipolar type, i.e. machines whose torque is produced in a cylindrical current tube through axially oriented current flow in a plurality of turns between pairs of parallel permanent magnet poles attached to cylindrical concentric magnet tubes. Unlike MP-T machines, MP-T II machines use flat permanent magnets and may contain cooling cuffs as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kuhlmann-Wilsdorf Motors, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Kroner
  • Patent number: 8581559
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing a homopolar generator charger with an integral rechargeable battery. A method is provided for converting rotational kinetic energy to electrical energy for charging one or more battery cells. The method can include rotating, by a shaft, a rotor in a magnetic flux field to generate current, wherein the rotor comprises an electrically conductive portion having an inner diameter conductive connection surface and an outer diameter conductive connection surface, and wherein a voltage potential is induced between the inner and outer diameter connection surfaces upon rotation in the magnetic flux field. The method can also include selectively coupling the generated current from the rotating rotor to terminals of the one or more battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Mechanical Energy Generating Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard Edward Botts
  • Publication number: 20130200741
    Abstract: An integrated starter-generator (ISG) utilizes a dedicated, properly sized start box for the starting function, and a fully controllable hybrid homopolar machine with a generator control unit (GCU) for the generate function. The hybrid homopolar machine may comprise a permanent magnet (PM) section that is supplemented by a homopolar field section, which results in a regulated output voltage by either boosting or bucking the voltage out of the PM section vectorially through a common stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: OECO, LLC
    Inventor: Bernard Anthony Raad
  • Publication number: 20130175895
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating electric energy and mechanical power using principles of ECE-Theory are presented. The electric energy function uses an old Faraday Disk generator type system. Uniquely, it is embedded in a crossfield device (CFD). The CFD is based on ECE-Theory, and provides the external magnetic field (and a reduced gravity environment) for the generator portion of the crossfield-homopolar device. The device functions as both a generator and a motor. This anti-gravity effect is in accordance with the new ECE (Einstein-Cartan-Evans)-Theory of physics. ECE-Theory shows gravitation and electromagnetism are both defined as manifestations of the curvature of spacetime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: GALACTICAN GROUP
    Inventor: Galactican Group
  • Patent number: 8471426
    Abstract: Machines and motors with multiple three-phase AC power connections. A motor includes first, second, and third windings arranged to drive a rotator shaft. A first end of each winding is connected to a respective power input of a three-phase alternating current (AC) power source and a second end of each winding is connected to a neutral. The motor includes at least one intermediate tap connected to each of the first, second, and third windings at substantially equal respective distances between the neutral and the respective power inputs. The intermediate taps together provide a three-phase AC power output at a voltage that is less than the voltage of the three-phase AC power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas G. Lang, William R. Finley
  • Publication number: 20130099619
    Abstract: A homopolar motor phase (d4) which consists of a wafer (a0), the leg (a3) of each tooth meeting the leg of the next tooth before touching the cylinder head (a4), the leg (a3) at least partially filling the space (a6) between the teeth. The inner diameter (a11) is reduced by the presence of a discontinuity in the area (a7) at the tip of the tooth (a5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: FEDERAL MOGUL SINTERTECH
    Inventors: François Bernot, Alix Bernot
  • Patent number: 8344571
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-efficiency permanent magnet motor driven by a direct current (DC) without alternation, with the motor generating a high-efficiency kinetic energy synthesized from active energy of a stator and passive energy of a rotator, comprising: a stator comprising a coil distributively wound radially around a circular planar PCB, creating a magnetic field on both sides of the stator located at the center of two rotators; and a rotor comprising two circular planar permanent magnets with a corresponding size to the magnetic field of the stator, with the magnet having both faces magnetized arranged such that the magnetized faces of the magnets and the magnetic fields on both sides of the stator facing each other have the same polarity. Constant power is provided when DC power is applied to the coil of the stator, the rotor rotates, in the absence of an AC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: I-Soo Lee
  • Publication number: 20120280589
    Abstract: A multi-winding homopolar electric machine and method for converting between mechanical energy and electrical energy. The electric machine includes a shaft defining an axis of rotation, first and second magnets, a shielding portion, and a conductor. First and second magnets are coaxial with the shaft and include a charged pole surface and an oppositely charged pole surface, the charged pole surfaces facing one another to form a repulsive field therebetween. The shield portion extends between the magnets to confine at least a portion of the repulsive field to between the first and second magnets. The conductor extends between first and second end contacts and is toroidally coiled about the first and second magnets and the shield portion to develop a voltage across the first and second end contacts in response to rotation of the electric machine about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventor: Charles W. Van Neste
  • Patent number: 8288910
    Abstract: A multi-winding homopolar electric machine and method for converting between mechanical energy and electrical energy. The electric machine includes a shaft defining an axis of rotation, first and second magnets, a shielding portion, and a conductor. First and second magnets are coaxial with the shaft and include a charged pole surface and an oppositely charged pole surface, the charged pole surfaces facing one another to form a repulsive field therebetween. The shield portion extends between the magnets to confine at least a portion of the repulsive field to between the first and second magnets. The conductor extends between first and second end contacts and is toroidally coiled about the first and second magnets and the shield portion to develop a voltage across the first and second end contacts in response to rotation of the electric machine about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Charles W. Van Neste
  • Patent number: 8247942
    Abstract: A multi-winding homopolar electric machine and method for converting between mechanical energy and electrical energy. The electric machine includes a shaft defining an axis of rotation, first and second magnets, a shielding portion, and a conductor. First and second magnets are coaxial with the shaft and include a charged pole surface and an oppositely charged pole surface, the charged pole surfaces facing one another to form a repulsive field therebetween. The shield portion extends between the magnets to confine at least a portion of the repulsive field to between the first and second magnets. The conductor extends between first and second end contacts and is toroidally coiled about the first and second magnets and the shield portion to develop a voltage across the first and second end contacts in response to rotation of the electric machine about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: UT-Batelle, LLC
    Inventor: Charles W. Van Neste
  • Patent number: 8169118
    Abstract: A homopolar magnetic actuator is configured to exert controllable radial forces on a body adapted to rotate around an axis. The actuator comprises at least three radial magnetic pole assemblies distributed at some distances from each other along the axis, each including a plurality of poles adjacent to an actuator target on the body. Permanent magnets are used to induce bias magnetic fluxes in the assemblies with polarities alternating from assembly to assembly but remaining the same around the rotational axis. Having several small bias fluxes distributed between several pole assemblies instead of a large single bias flux facilitates designing an actuator with a high aspect ratio. A control coil around each pole can induce a control magnetic flux in the poles. These control fluxes affect magnetic flux distribution around the actuator target, resulting in magnetic forces exerted on the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Calnetix Technologies, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Alexei V. Filatov
  • Patent number: 8164228
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing a homopolar generator charger with an integral rechargeable battery. A method is provided for converting rotational kinetic energy to electrical energy for charging one or more battery cells. The method can include rotating, by a shaft, a rotor in a magnetic flux field to generate current, wherein the rotor comprises an electrically conductive portion having an inner diameter conductive connection surface and an outer diameter conductive connection surface, and wherein a voltage potential is induced between the inner and outer diameter connection surfaces upon rotation in the magnetic flux field. The method can also include selectively coupling the generated current from the rotating rotor to terminals of the one or more battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mechanical Energy Generating Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard Edward Botts
  • Publication number: 20110309708
    Abstract: A multi-winding homopolar electric machine and method for converting between mechanical energy and electrical energy. The electric machine includes a shaft defining an axis of rotation, first and second magnets, a shielding portion, and a conductor. First and second magnets are coaxial with the shaft and include a charged pole surface and an oppositely charged pole surface, the charged pole surfaces facing one another to form a repulsive field therebetween. The shield portion extends between the magnets to confine at least a portion of the repulsive field to between the first and second magnets. The conductor extends between first and second end contacts and is toroidally coiled about the first and second magnets and the shield portion to develop a voltage across the first and second end contacts in response to rotation of the electric machine about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Charles W. Van Neste
  • Patent number: 8035273
    Abstract: A rotor for an electric machine having a number of poles includes a shaft that extends along a portion of an axis and defines an outer surface. A first core portion is formed as a single inseparable component and includes a first portion that extends from the outer surface to a first outside diameter to define a first thickness, and a second portion spaced axially from the first portion that includes a reduced back portion that extends from an inside diameter to the first outside diameter to define a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. A second core portion is connected to the first core portion and includes a second outside diameter that is substantially the same as the first outside diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: A.O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Dan M. Ionel, Stephen J. Dellinger, Robert J. Heideman, Alan E. Lesak
  • Publication number: 20110210636
    Abstract: MP-T II Machines are alternating current, two, three, or four or more phase machines of the multipolar type, i.e. machines whose torque is produced in a cylindrical current tube through axially oriented current flow in a plurality of turns between pairs of parallel permanent magnet poles attached to cylindrical concentric magnet tubes. Unlike MP-T machines, MP-T II machines use flat permanent magnets and may contain cooling cuffs as needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Doris Kuhlmann-Wilsdorf
  • Publication number: 20110133452
    Abstract: A number of electrical energy generating assemblies, such as assemblies 10, 240, and 400 which are disposed within a pipeline 12 or in close proximity to the inlet 11 and/or outlet portion 125 of the pipeline 12 and which are adapted to selectively generate electrical energy by use of the material 18 which normally flows through the pipeline 12 according to a certain process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: John Gerard Chupa, Subramaniam Ganesan
  • Patent number: 7939983
    Abstract: There is provided a generator which produces electromotive forces in the same direction on all windings to prevent occurrence of leakage magnetic fields of the windings and lowering of the rotational forces of rotor plates due to the leakage magnetic fields from the windings and offers high efficiency without accompanying any circuit loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Tetsuo Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110089783
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-efficiency permanent magnet motor driven by a direct current (DC) without alternation, with the motor generating a high-efficiency kinetic energy synthesized from active energy of a stator and passive energy of a rotator, comprising: a stator comprising a coil distributively wound radially around a circular planar PCB, creating a magnetic field on both sides of the stator located at the center of two rotators; and a rotor comprising two circular planar permanent magnets with a corresponding size to the magnetic field of the stator, with the magnet having both faces magnetized arranged such that the magnetized faces of the magnets and the magnetic fields on both sides of the stator facing each other have the same polarity. Constant power is provided when DC power is applied to the coil of the stator, the rotor rotates, in the absence of an AC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: I-Soo Lee
  • Publication number: 20110037336
    Abstract: There is disclosed a homopolar machine comprising a rotor and a stator. The rotor is arranged for rotation within the stator about a central axis and comprises a pair of axially spaced-apart rotor poles formed of magnetic material and which are interconnected by a structure comprising an axially magnetised magnet. The stator comprises a pair of conductor assemblies each of which is substantially annular in form and is provided around a respective rotor pole. The proposed arrangement provides a very simple and robust machine suitable for operation at very high speeds as a generator and which produces a purely is DC output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Alexander C. SMITH, Stephen M. Husband
  • Patent number: 7821168
    Abstract: An axial gap electric dynamo machine has a horizontally disposed rotor disk that is stabilized at its periphery by a plurality of permanent magnets connected to a ferromagnetic bearing plate that provides an opposing or repulsive force against the rotor magnets. In some preferred embodiments, the bearing plate magnets are configured in a dual band to further enhance the magnetic field that supports the periphery of the spinning rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Empire Magnetics Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Halstead
  • Publication number: 20100264771
    Abstract: An electromechanical power converter that has a rotor assembly with a conductive shell, a first conductor made from superconducting material that is in series electrical contact with the conductive shell and a second conductor made from superconducting material and in series electrical contact with said conductive shell, thus providing an internal impedance converting electromechanical power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Dynamo Capital, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Wolfgang Blum
  • Patent number: 7816875
    Abstract: The invention is a system for gearless operation of a movable barrier utilizing Lorentz forces, and in particular, a movable barrier operator retrofitted with a gearless motor capable of high torque at very low speeds. Eliminating a gear system in accordance with the present invention lowers maintenance requirements, increases efficiency, and streamlines operation of any movable barrier. By utilizing a motor which produces high-torque at low a speeds a system in accordance with the present invention does away with the need for complicated gears and pulley systems in order to achieve control of movable barriers. The present invention allows manufacturers, distributors and consumers to implement movable barrier systems with much more versatility and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Viking Access Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Hassan Taheri, Jonathan Becerra
  • Patent number: 7777383
    Abstract: MP-A and MP-T machines are members of the Multipolar (MP) family of electric motors/generators and have similarly low weight and high power densities. Their current tubes comprise conductive “S-ribbons” in electrically non-conductive material. S-ribbons are shaped so as in operation to periodically substantially overlap a multiplicity of neighboring zones of high magnetic B-field, alternating with gaps with low B in which B changes sign. Accordingly, MP-A and MP-T machines, respectively, generate AC and 3-phase current in the generator mode, and as motor are driven by AC or 3-phase at the appropriate frequency. Two modifications are introduced: (i) Machines with stationary magnet tubes/rotating current tube and (ii) machines with stationary current tube/rotating magnet tubes. The latter do not require electrical brushes and are eminently suited for simultaneous multiple uses. Also, these may operate while immersed in hostile fluids, including sea water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Doris Wilsdorf
  • Patent number: 7732966
    Abstract: A portable power system has a turbine engine generating mechanical energy. A homopolar electrical machine receives this energy. The homopolar electrical machine has a single stationary superconducting field coil configured to create a magnetic field. A homopolar rotor is configured to rotate within the magnetic field such that a rotating magnetic field is created in a stationary winding by interaction of the rotating permeance wave produced by the homopolar rotor and the magnetic field produced by the single stationary field coil. The homopolar electrical machine is configured as a generator and produces electrical power for the portable power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kirubaharan Sivasubramaniam, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, James William Bray, James Michael Fogarty
  • Patent number: 7719154
    Abstract: A single field rotor motor comprising a rotor mounted for rotation with respect to a stator. The stator has a plurality of stator poles each having a coil for creating a magnetic pole force. The rotor has a plurality of circumferentially spaced salient rotor poles formed thereon, and has a first axial end and a second axial end. Magnetic means are provided for creating an unchanging, single polarity field on all of the rotor poles by inducing flux into the axial ends of the rotor. Circuit means for alternately charge said stator coils to alternate the polarity of a given stator pole to alternately attract and repel said rotor poles to produce rotation of said rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Tri-Seven Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Durham, Harold S. Durham
  • Publication number: 20100090556
    Abstract: A homopolar magnetic actuator is configured to exert controllable radial forces on a body adapted to rotate around an axis. The actuator comprises at least three radial magnetic pole assemblies distributed at some distances from each other along the axis, each including a plurality of poles adjacent to an actuator target on the body. Permanent magnets are used to induce bias magnetic fluxes in the assemblies with polarities alternating from assembly to assembly but remaining the same around the rotational axis. Having several small bias fluxes distributed between several pole assemblies instead of a large single bias flux facilitates designing an actuator with a high aspect ratio. A control coil around each pole can induce a control magnetic flux in the poles. These control fluxes affect magnetic flux distribution around the actuator target, resulting in magnetic forces exerted on the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Calnetix, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexei V. Filatov